I loved the way Millie and Gilbert’s relationship develops throughout this book, along with the insights we learn into her past and the hardships she endured which helped to make her the fearsome and fiercely loyal heroine she is now.
One of the newly introduced characters has a snake companion and I really enjoyed that touch. The scenes in the river in which he played a large part were fantastic. The dogs in this story are also stars - yay for animal companions!
Another new character, Rhiannon’s cousin, Nathie, is introduced and becomes one of the main characters in this book. She has a strong, self-confident, somewhat spiky personality, but is basically good-hearted and trying to protect her cousin. Her scenes and the antagonism between her and Millie were fabulous.
There is a wonderful scene with a sinking boat which had me on the edge of my seat and the resolution was totally perfect! (No spoilers here). There were also some really creepy, paranormal touches to this world - Black’s world-building draws you in masterfully and depicts richly painted locations which become the backdrop to some very exciting adventures.
There is a strong anti-slavery message running throughout this story along with themes of friendship, found family and loyalty. Millie the elf is fast becoming one of my favourite fantasy heroines and this series is a new favourite too!
I was lucky enough to be able to work on this book as a proofreader - but my review is honest and my opinions are my own!
